My husband would say having cancer is like having your hair on fire. When your hair is on fire, that's all you can think about; it's your focus 24/7. In October 2009, I was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer that had metastasized with 12 tumors to my liver. The tumors were defined as low- grade neuroendocrine, which affect one out of a hundred thousand people.

During the time of my cancer, I truly felt I was a woman with her hair on fire and needed desperately to find something to help me put the fire out.

One of the first things I did for my body was a body cleanse, which included a liver and colon cleanse.

A colon cleanse is done through a colonic treatment, also called colonic hydrotherapy, to remove any toxins from built- up waste in the body. With the average diet consisting of processed foods, alcohol, high fats, and low fiber, there are a great deal of toxins produced in built-up waste in the colon and liver. These toxins can be flushed out by taking a liver cleanse consisting primarily of milk thistle. These toxins are responsible for many body imbalances, which can lead to very serious health problems!

According to Oncologist Douglas Brodie of Reno, Nevada, cancer patients experiencing increased toxic stress during chemotherapy and radiation treatment can benefit from colonic hydrotherapy. He states: "I have found over the years that cancer patients who are not doing well usually are toxic and not being cleansed."

Any decrease of toxins in the liver, kidney, or colon can help strengthen the immune system. Fiber is necessary for your body to eliminate toxins within the organs; the average American diet includes less than a fraction of the fiber foods necessary to promote elimination of toxins from the body. Poor diet, improper food combining, and lack of dietary fiber makes the maintenance of a healthy colon virtually impossible.

The best way to maintain a healthy colon is to eat a high-fiber low-fat diet, to drink plenty of water, and to exercise on a regular basis; water intake should be half your body weight in ounces.

A liver cleanse is one of the best things you can do to enhance your body's performance. Think of your liver as one large filter; everything you put into your body is filtered through your liver. It helps detoxify the chemicals you digest, like medications, over the counter drugs, alcohol, smoking, preservatives, food hormones, and pesticides.

Although l had twelve tumors on my liver, I still had a full- functioning liver and I wanted it to work to its fullest capacity. Cleaning the liver is such an important part of the process because of its many functions. A liver cleanse consists of taking one to three capsules a day and adopting some dietary changes. Dr. Sandra Cabot sells a natural liver tonic on the internet containing milk thistle, globe artichoke, and dandelion.

As the largest internal organ, the liver also:

•Produces proteins that enable blood to clot

•Stores vitamins and minerals

•Regulates blood sugar levels

•Breaks down carbohydrates to be used for energy

•Helps to remove toxins from the body

•Makes bile to help digestion

For more information on the liver, I would recommend Dr. Cabot's book The Liver Cleansing Diet.